Tail-gate construction



June 5, 1928. 1,672,111

E. R. BARRETT TAIL GATE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 1926 Awe/7701 .9 WV 1 7 j Jg [dward/Zfiarr0# xi 4. 67% (W 9 j/Tornay X Patented June 5, 1928.

1 UNITED STATES PATENT dormer...

EDWARD R. BARRETT, OF DETROIT, l MICHIGAN, ABSIGNOR T WOOD HYDRAULIC EOIST & BODY COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN A CORPORATION OI MICHIGAN.

TAIL-GATE CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed June 7,

This invention relates to a tail gate construction for bodies which are used on trucks or similar motor vehicles usually'bemg of the type known as dumping body adapted-- to be elevated at its front end so as to dump its contents by gravity It is a primary object and purpose of t present invention to make an exceptionally strong construction which at the same time is materially re- 10 duced in weight in comparison to the previously used types of tail gates for dump ng bodies of this class which have been ordinarily formed from a flat and relatively heavy late of metal.

In t e present invention a built up tail ate is made so constructed that it is reinorced and materially strengthened while its weight is substantially reduced. To this end I have made the construction described in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the tail gate the same being mounted at the rear end of a dumpin body, a fragmentary portion only 2 of the b0 y being shown.

Fig, 2 is a fragmentary enlarged elevation of one end portion of the tail gate.

Fig; 3 is a vertical section through the tail gate, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section therethrough.

: Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of thedrawi'ng.

- In the construction of the tail gate a rec- .tangular plate 1 of metal is provided which at its upper and lower edges is bent at right angles making the upper and lower horizontal flanges 2, the same being rebent to make terminal flanges 3 which are spaced from and I .lie in a plane parallel to the plane of the plate 1. vAt each end a channel 4 of metal is located and permanently secured by one flange thereof to the plate '1 adjacent its vertical edge by rivets or equivalent securing means. Substantially midway between the .ends vertical channel 5 is used, the legs of which are bent outwardly to make flanges 5 which lieagainst the rear side of the plate 1 and as later described, are permanently secured thereto.

flanges 3 the edge portions of substantially triangular shape gusset plates 6 engage, these at their middle section bearing against th of the tail 1926. Serial No. 114,120.

are disposed wholly filling the space between i the gusset plates and the main plate 1 of the tail gate. Rods are passed through the gusset plates 6, the filler blocks 7 and also through the flanges 5 of the channel 5 and are headed over at each end to make a very secure and rigid construction.

The gusset plates extend horizontally to each side of the middle vertical channel 5 but terminate a distance short of the ends ate. Other gusset plates 8 underneath .wflich are filler blocks 9 of wood are disposed at the upper and lower corners of the structure lying at their outer ed 'es against the flanges of the channels 4 and being permanently riveted thereto and at their upper and lower edges lying against the rebent flanges 3, first described. Rods riveted over at each end pass through said flanges 3, gusset plates and filler blocks and through the main body plate 1 and others pass through the lates 8, filler blocks 9 and main plate 1, as s own,'to complete the rigid and strong yet light tail gate structure.

At the upper edge of the tail gate structure thus described blocks 10 are permanently secured from which pins 11 extend laterally being received in suitable sockets in members 13 which in turn are connected to upwardlyextending triangular shaped sup orting brackets 12 permanently secured at t e upper edges of the sides 14 of the body on which the tail gate'is installed. Short bars 15 are secure at the outer side of the tail gate and at their outer ends extend beyond the ends of the tail gate, with which latch% 16 of well known construction engage to hold the tail gate in closed position. 1 1

As a modification of the above describe structure the channel members 4 at the ends of the tail gate may be eliminated and the ends may be'formed integral with the rectangular plate 1 in a manner identical with the top andbottom, which has been shown anddescribed, by bending metal of the plate 1 at right angles and then rebenda ing it to extend in a plane parallel with said Against the inner sides of the rebent.

plate. This form of structure'eliminates the extra channel members and ma be more desirable than the first describe structure.

This construction of tail gate is rigid and strong, in fact, more rigid andstrong and having less weight than a tail gate made from a single flat plate sufliciently heavy to forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A tail gate structure comprising a backing plate of-metal formed at its upper and lower edges with outturned flanges terminating in rebent flanges, a vertical channel bar secured to said plate at each end thereof between said flanges, gusset plates disposed one at each corner of the structure over said channel bars and within the rebent flanges, filler blocks located between said corner gusset plates and the backing plate, means for permanetly securing said backing plate, gusset lates, filler blocks and channels together, ad itional gusset plates located at the upper and lower sides of'the structure and having their upper and lower edge portions, respectivel located under the upper and lower re ent flanges, other filler blocks located under the additional gusset plates between the same and the backing plate, and

. means-passing through said additional gusset plates, filler blocks, backing plate and the rebent flanges thereof ,for permanently and rigidl securing the same together.

2. tail gate structure comprising a backing plate 0 rectangular form, said plate at its upper and lower edges being formed with outwardl extending flanges terminating in rebent d bwnwardly and upwardly exof the structure, respectively, a channel bar located against each end of and at the outer side of said backing plate between said outwardly extending flan es, a U-shaped bar havin the legs thereo terminating in 0pposite y extending flanges disposed vertically against the outer side of the backing plate midway between its ends, said flanges hearing against the outer side of the backing plate, a pair of gusset plates of substantially triangular. form located against said U- shaped member and extending to opposite sides thereof and having their base portions located under said rebent flanges, wood filler blocks between said gusset plates and the h backing plate,' one of said blocks lying at each side of the U-shaped member and at both its upper and lower ends, rods headed over at both ends passing through the backing plate, filler blocks and gusset plates and through the rebent flanges and also through the flanges of said U-shaped member, four corner gusset plates located in the same plane with the first named gusset plates, one at and said rebent flanges, sustantially as described.

3. A tail gate structure comprising a back- /ing plate of sheet metal of rectangular form having outturned flanges at its upper and lower edges, said flanges being rebent to be substantially parallel to the backing plate, vertical reinforcing bars secured to said backing plate, one at each end and one substantially midway between the ends, and a plurality of gusset plates and filler blocks between said gusset plates and the backing plate permanently secured in place at each corner and at the upper and lower sides of said structure, the gusset plates having edge portions located within said rebent flanges.

4. A tail gate structure comprisinga rectangular backing plate of metal having outwardly extending flanges at its upper and lower edges, a plurality of vertical reinforcing bars permanently-secured to the outer side of the backing plate and a plurality of gusset plates and filler blocks between said gusset plates and backing plate permanently secured to the backing plateat its outer side, substantially and as for the purposes described. I

5. A tail gate structure comprising a backing plate of rectangular form provided with outturned flanges at its upper and lower edges and additional flanges rebent from said first named flanges to lie in a plane parallel to the backing plate and spaced therefrom, a reinforcing bar permanently secured at each end of and at the outer side of the backing plate, wood filler blocks at the corners and at the u per and lower sides of the backing plate and lying thereagainst, and gusset plates covering said filler blocks, all permanently and rigidly connected together, certain edge portion of said gusset plates lying underneath the rebent flanges and other edge portions of certain of the gusset plates bearing against said reinforcing bars and secured thereto.

6. A tail gate structure comprising a backing plate of sheet metal of rectangular form aving an outturned flange at one or more of its edges, said flanges being rebent to lie substantially parallel to the backing plate and spaced therefrom, a reinforcing-member secured to said backingv plate and extending across the approximate center thereof, andplurality of gusset plates permanently secured to said rebent portions and to said reinforcing member, and filler blocks between.said gusset plates and the backing plate and permanently secured to both.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EDWARD R. BARRETT. 

